Tolumnia on a mount

[Paul Mc]

You have a 3rd too!!!! LOL!!! We do what we new to for our 'chids, just saying!!! ROLF!!!

[Trini Kjeldz]

i have but one NOID Tolumnia....growing outside quite well i see many green root tips and new growth...had it for 3 months no flower yet...ofc i live in the tropics where humidity is almost always above 80%...i water it once daily and it is in a tiny pot with pea gravel,charcoal and nutricoat slow release....the key to Tolumnias or most twig epiphytes is fast drying at the roots.....remove some of that sphagnum moss...just a little pad is all that is necessary......i know u have created a nice humid grow area now....but moisture can NOW BE A PROBLEM FOR U...and fungus too so be careful

[Becca]

I haven't had luck with Tolumnia's. I kept mine in a clay pot for a while and then a grower recently told me that those clay pots do not allow the root systems to dry out quickly enough and the roots will rot. By the time I found this out, it was to late. The grower also told me that their roots like to dry out so fast that pretty much as soon as you water them to blow on the roots really quick to dry them off, staying wet much longer then that would rot the roots. I saw that someone had one adapted to s/h, I would like to know if others have had success with this method as well since their roots like to dry quickly.

[Paul Mc]

Interesting! All but one of line are in clay pits, but they are currently larger than the root system. Food for thought!

[silken]

I grow my 3 in netted pots. Two have a bit of medium bark and the other came in CHC and is still like that. That one bloomed for me last winter and I won a red ribbon for it at an orchid show. So I would say its happy!

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by Becca

I haven't had luck with Tolumnia's. I kept mine in a clay pot for a while and then a grower recently told me that those clay pots do not allow the root systems to dry out quickly enough and the roots will rot. By the time I found this out, it was to late. The grower also told me that their roots like to dry out so fast that pretty much as soon as you water them to blow on the roots really quick to dry them off, staying wet much longer then that would rot the roots. I saw that someone had one adapted to s/h, I would like to know if others have had success with this method as well since their roots like to dry quickly.

That would be me. See above, the plant is quite happy in sh.

[NYCorchidman]

Originally Posted by Pilot

Hey Neil,

Sorry life got away from me for a while. I decided to hold off on the Tolumnia anyway mostly because I need to prove I can flower them on my own first, although I still want a division of that Wils you showed me.

That's great to hear your plants are spiking! My hope is to one day get a group of them large enough that when they do spike it's quite the show. But truth be told, whatever blooms I get of these guys I love.

I have one I got in the spring called elfin and it the most delicate creamy white and I'm proud to say its grown a substantial new fan since I got it.

It's alright. I was just wondering what happened. long vacation, or left OB, but then I saw your recent postings so I know you are still around, which is nice to know!

By the way, congrats on the new growths.
If they are not flowering, it's either too little water or not enough sun.
I neglected a few of mine in the past and they all dried up badly with deep wrinkles set in and most roots dried up and died. They have since grew some new fans. One of these once nearly dead tolumnias is now spiking. yay!

All the new growths that suffered the "man made" drought matured very small and of course, no flowers.
The following fans are all normal size with penty of water supplied.

All mine grow right next to window. The sides where they recieve sunlight are purple and the other sides are green. I should probably reduce the light a little, but three or four of them are now spiking. Others should soon follow.

[NYCorchidman]

One more word, I think light, water and heat are the keys. When these three are provided, some of my hybrids are able to bloom quite often, up to three times a year, not counting the side spikes.

but usually, they get too dry over the summer, and either slow down on growing or mature early without flowering. they skip a season or two this way.